#potential soup

One day, after their rescue, they finally realize that they now *do* have autonomy, and that the others in their life respect that. They have independence, they can do whatever the fuck they want, they don't need permission anymore.

And that feels... weird. Surreal. Freeing. Confusing.

Crying in front of others.

Holding it in 'till they're alone.

Holding it in, even when they're alone. Denying it. Denying themself.

Trying to hold it in, yet the tears are out of their control.

Raw, unbridled emotion, finally spilling over the edge; revealing itself in it's purest, ugliest form.

The headaches and tiredness that settle in after the tears finally stop.

One day they're giving Whumpee reassurance and comfort when they hit a limit and get overwhelmed. Usually Whumpee helps carry in groceries, but after they get overwhelmed at the store and start to break down in the car, Caretaker's understanding and receptive. They tell Whumpee that it's alright, they'll handle the groceries tonight if it's too much. Whumpee starts to learn the importance of respecting their limits that day.

But then, only a month later, Carewhumper's mad at Whumpee when they say, "I've been a bit overwhelmed today, so I might not be able to help carry things in today." They're passive aggressive, citing Whumpee's "attitude" as the cause for their frustration. Whumpee tries to apologize, to clarify what they meant, to make things right and to ask exactly what's wrong with their behavior so that they can at least try to fix it. But nothing's working, in fact, that only seems to piss Carewhumper off more.

Whumpee's left confused, and hurt. Wasn't it Carewhumper who taught them to respect their own limits? Didn't they show Whumpee the importance of setting up and protecting their boundaries? Aren't they allowed not to help? Why are they going against that now? It was fine before... If Carewhumper has an issue with them, then why didn't they say anything before?

"How can someone care about me so much, yet hurt me so deeply?"

"I still care about you -- I WANT to care about you -- despite all you've done to me..."

So here's my late entry for day 4:

Post a whump prompt for someone else to fill on Day 28

@whumpmasinjuly-archive

(Ofc, anyone is free to use these prompts at any time, even after the event is over. If it inspires you, go ahead and have fun with it! :D)

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Prompt 1:

Whumpee does absolutely everything they can to fit Whumper's expectations. They obey orders without question, they rigidly follow each and every rule. They change their personality, and opinions, and behavior, and-- hell, they even change their personal appearance, all to fit within Whumper's twisted vision of perfection. And yet, despite how much they try, it's never enough. Whumpee never seems to be good enough.

How long can they last? How far can they bend until they snap?

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Prompt 2:

Whumpee's been abandoned, kicked out onto the streets. Thunder rumbles the earth as the rain pours down. There's nothing much they can do to prevent themself from getting soaked; there isn't much place to take cover. Do they curl up tight against a building? Hide away under a bench or table that hardly does anything to prevent them from getting wet? Cower away, shivering and cold, under a young tree or bush?

Maybe eventually somebody comes up to the miserable Whumpee. Maybe it's an old friend of theirs, or maybe they're a stranger. They offer their hand either way, which Whumpee takes. What could this person's intentions be? Is Whumpee about to be wrapped up in fluffy blankets and handed a warm cup of tea? Or are they about to experience a hell that'll make them miss this miserable night?

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Prompt 3:

Alcohol. Just chuck it at them and have fun. Whumpee exposes their vulnerable side without their filter, and starts carelessly rambling about their closely held secrets and troubles. Who's listening? A caring friend, or a fiendish foe?

Is Whumpee drinking to cope? Did Caretaker already know about the specifics of what Whumpee went through, or is this the first time they get to hear about it? Do they use Whumpee's vulnerable state to their advantage, and try to pry some extra information out of them? Or do they just try to reassure Whumpee and offer them support and comfort?

Or recently, I had a scenario that started with a post-rescue Whumpee out on a patio, sitting on the floor, leaning against the railing, liquor in hand, looking out at the buildings around them as it rained. Y'know, just being a little drunk and broody out there. Caretaker's busy doing whatever, but they spot Whumpee as they pass by the door, and decide to come out and check on them. Things fall silent after a few responses from Whumpee, and right when Caretaker thinks about leaving them to their own devices, Whumpee looks down at their bottle and asks,